It’s been almost two weeks since the Oscars, and many may have moved on from conversations about the evening’s red-carpet fashion and jewelry. Not me. And not Jennifer Gandia, co-owner of the Gem Award-winning Greenwich St. Jewelers, who was more than willing to chat with me about Oscars looks and jewels—only in this case, we were talking about who and what she was wearing.
Because she was there. In the audience. And rubbing shoulders with A-listers (including a swoon-worthy encounter with a certain Heated Rivalry heartthrob—more on that later). It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, fittingly shared with Gandia’s sister and Greenwich St. Jewelers co-owner Christina Gambale.
After spotting Gandia’s Instagram post recapping her Academy Awards fashion and jewelry credits and a few highlights from the March 15 show, I was giddy with happiness for my two industry colleagues—and, simultaneously, ravenous for more specifics.
On a phone call earlier this week, Gandia and I dove into the details, covering her impeccably styled ensemble and jewelry choices for Oscar night and what it was like to attend such a high-profile, star-studded event.
THE INVITATION
Though Gandia and Gambale are celebrities in their own right—from an industry perspective!—an Oscars invitation is as exclusive as it gets. How did the sisters score one? The opportunity came through an industry connection who had been invited but would be too busy managing Oscars red-carpet jewelry requests to attend the event herself. Thankfully, the coveted invitation was transferrable.
GANDIA’S LOOK
Her industry connection’s call about the Oscars came just three weeks before the event, Gandia says. That would be a breakneck timeline for deciding what to wear to any black-tie event—let alone one as important as the Oscars. And don’t forget the 2026 Oscars took place the same weekend as the Gem Awards (held on Friday, March 13), which meant Gandia had to coordinate two evening-wear game plans at once.
For the Oscars, it helped that Gandia had a clear vision to guide her choices: Julie Andrews in the 1982 film Victor Victoria. “There was so much inspiration from the history of Hollywood and women like Josephine Baker, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton wearing tuxes to Hollywood events,” she says. “So I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do.’”
From there, Gandia confidently set about pulling the different elements together: a 1980s wool and silk jacket that was vintage dead stock—“with the original price tag on it”—a 1990s silk/cotton tuxedo shirt by Liz Claiborne, a Gucci silk ribbon bow tie, and vintage YSL patent leather boots.
Gandia intentionally sourced the majority of items from Etsy, Poshmark, and the RealReal: “I’ve really been on a personal journey of trying to buy the majority of my clothing secondhand,” she says. As luck would have it, the trousers were already hanging in her closet.
As for the jewelry, “I wasn’t showing my neck, so I wanted really big showstoppers,” she says of the statement earrings she borrowed from a “vendor friend.” She also wore pieces from Greenwich St. Jewelers’ estate collection, including two rings: one set with a lavender star sapphire, the other a bombe style from the 1950s with invisibly set sapphires and diamonds.
Gandia also wore a platinum art deco watch that had belonged to her mother and a bracelet she’d received as a gift from her parents (the original owners of Greenwich St. Jewelers).
GAMBALE’S LOOK
As Gandia hunted down the components of her Oscars ensemble, she also took on the responsibility of sourcing attire for Gambale. The RealReal served up a beautifully draped, strapless Badgley Mischka gown that “fit so beautifully on her,” Gandia says of the vintage design. It was also a fun throwback to her memories of watching the Oscars as a teen and twentysomething: “European couture houses are more prominent on the red carpet now, but there was a time in the in the 1990s and early 2000s when there were more American brands and Badgley Mischka was a red-carpet powerhouse.”
When it came to selecting jewels, Gambale was focused on colored stones that would create a striking contrast with the magenta hue of her gown. So she chose earrings with dangling emerald briolettes (borrowed) and a cabochon emerald ring (from the store) “that was just so spectacular, especially with the bunch of diamond bracelets that she had on,” Gandia says.
INSIDE THE VENUE
Gandia and Gambale had prime seats in the first mezzanine of L.A.’s Dolby Theatre. “There was a little box under your seat with theater-style candy like Raisinets or Snow Caps or Dots, a big bag of popcorn, water, and a note from [Oscars host] Conan [O’Brien],” says Gandia.
A HEATED ENCOUNTER
Gandia and Gambale had just grabbed some waters to bring with them into the auditorium, but they weren’t sure if that was allowed. Gandia went in search of an usher to ask “and all of a sudden, [Heated Rivalry star] Hudson Williams was walking right at me,” she says. “There were other people around, but it wasn’t crowded. And nobody was crowding him. It was very ‘two people colliding on the sidewalk.’”
As an avid fan of the HBO show, Gandia couldn’t help but say hello. “Then he stopped, and I told him how much the show meant to me. He was so present and gracious and asked me my name and what I did.” Did they discuss jewelry at all? “I told him I was a jeweler, and he was like, ‘Oh yeah, you’ve got great jewelry on.’ And he showed me his brooch that he was wearing on his jacket.” It was as quick as that—plus a glorious selfie (squee!).
THE AFTER-PARTY
There were many opportunities to talk about jewelry at the Governors Ball, the Oscars’ post-ceremony celebration, held in the Ray Dolby Ballroom. “On our way in, we talked to Lola Kirke, who was one of the vampires in Sinners and she had on great jewelry, which actually was from Briony Raymond,” says Gandia. “She showed us all her pieces, and we got a little video of that.” The sisters also chatted with actress Mckenna Grace about the diamond pieces she wore with her pink ballgown—a look that, as many observed, channeled a young Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1999 Oscars. Gandia says she also engaged 2025 Oscar winner Kieran Culkin by complimenting his Kwiat x Fred Leighton jabot-style brooch. His good-natured response: “Oh yeah, you like it?”
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Eating pizza at a high-top table next to Jacob Elordi (yes, really). Being in the presence of Best Supporting Best Actress nominee Wunmi Mosaku, “who I knew from the show Lovecraft Country, and I loved her in Sinners,” says Gandia. “I didn’t get to talk to her; with some of the stars, you were just happy to be breathing the same air as them.”
JEWELRY TAKEAWAYS
Unlike the Gem Awards, where just about everyone is dripping in gold and genuine gems, at the Oscars, “a lot of the people around you are ‘regular’ guests and often they were not wearing real jewels,” observes Gandia. In other words, the fine jewelry stood out as exceptional—and made its presence known. This was especially true at the Governors Ball, where Gandia and Gambale were close enough to the action to guess at whether someone’s necklace or earrings contained actual precious gems and diamonds. “Fine jewelry wears differently, “says Gandia. “It sparkles differently in a soft mood-lit room.”
Top: Oh, what a night! Sisters Jennifer Gandia and Christina Gambale, co-owners of Greenwich St. Jewelers, inside the Dolby Theatre at the 2026 Oscars (photos courtesy of Jennifer Gandia)
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